DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9510#0009
PREFACE.
Vll
two monarchs may be placed a certain interval apart, without
fixing the length of reign or the succession either. An in-
scription that records the death of a bull Apis in year 2
of king User-mat-Ra Pamaa, states that the beast was born
in year 28 of king User-mat-Ra Sheshenk, and had attained
the age of 26 yearsa. This shows that User-mat-Ra Pamaa
came to the throne about 52 years after User-mat-Ra She-
shenk ; but it fails to show how many years king Sheshenk
may have reigned beyond the twenty-eight, or what monarchs
may have reigned between him and king Pamaa.
In most cases the length of reign is only indicated roughly
by a date in some inscription. Thus, for example, an in-
scription being dated in year 15 of king Nefer-ka-Ra
Shabaka1', the inference is that his reign extended into
fifteen years at least. But such an inference may sometimes
be misleading. A couple of inscriptions, when they are read
together, produce a date in year 23 of king User-mat-Ra
Takelot0; the inference being that his reign extended into
three-and-twenty years at least. Yet these are the only
records of him that remain; and no king of Egypt would
have reigned for all those years without making himself con-
spicuous upon the monuments. And thus the truth may be
that Takelot reigned only for a month or two, but claimed
that he had lawfully been king for three-and-twenty years
before, while another prince had occupied the throne.
In fact, the evidence is imperfect in so many places that
no definite results can be obtained. But among the inscrip-
tions that are discovered or deciphered every year, there
usually are half-a-dozen that complete our information here
and there. And no doubt the whole succession of the kings
will some day be determined, together with the lengths of
all their reigns, so that every event on record will be assign-
able to a certain date B.C.
lv In the Serapeum Collection at the Louvre. Mariette, Seraphim de Memphis,
part 3, plate 26.
h In the British Museum. No. -24,429. Unpublished.
c In the Museums at Gizeh and Florence. Recucil de travaux relatifs a
la philotogic et h Varcheologie Rgyplienncs cl Assyriennes for 1893, pages 172—
175-
Vll
two monarchs may be placed a certain interval apart, without
fixing the length of reign or the succession either. An in-
scription that records the death of a bull Apis in year 2
of king User-mat-Ra Pamaa, states that the beast was born
in year 28 of king User-mat-Ra Sheshenk, and had attained
the age of 26 yearsa. This shows that User-mat-Ra Pamaa
came to the throne about 52 years after User-mat-Ra She-
shenk ; but it fails to show how many years king Sheshenk
may have reigned beyond the twenty-eight, or what monarchs
may have reigned between him and king Pamaa.
In most cases the length of reign is only indicated roughly
by a date in some inscription. Thus, for example, an in-
scription being dated in year 15 of king Nefer-ka-Ra
Shabaka1', the inference is that his reign extended into
fifteen years at least. But such an inference may sometimes
be misleading. A couple of inscriptions, when they are read
together, produce a date in year 23 of king User-mat-Ra
Takelot0; the inference being that his reign extended into
three-and-twenty years at least. Yet these are the only
records of him that remain; and no king of Egypt would
have reigned for all those years without making himself con-
spicuous upon the monuments. And thus the truth may be
that Takelot reigned only for a month or two, but claimed
that he had lawfully been king for three-and-twenty years
before, while another prince had occupied the throne.
In fact, the evidence is imperfect in so many places that
no definite results can be obtained. But among the inscrip-
tions that are discovered or deciphered every year, there
usually are half-a-dozen that complete our information here
and there. And no doubt the whole succession of the kings
will some day be determined, together with the lengths of
all their reigns, so that every event on record will be assign-
able to a certain date B.C.
lv In the Serapeum Collection at the Louvre. Mariette, Seraphim de Memphis,
part 3, plate 26.
h In the British Museum. No. -24,429. Unpublished.
c In the Museums at Gizeh and Florence. Recucil de travaux relatifs a
la philotogic et h Varcheologie Rgyplienncs cl Assyriennes for 1893, pages 172—
175-